New Beginnings Family Church. I think we have settled on the name. Last year my husband, Keevin, felt God leading us away from middle TN to start a new church. He put fleeces out to God (asking God for definite signs) for answers like where and when. Keevin received several specific pointing signs but he wanted to be sure and asked God for more--and He gave more. When we finally felt setted that we had the answers, God gave us a bonus sign in a resturant from a waitress. I looked over at Keevin and questioned him, "did you ask God for another sign?" He replied "no, did you?" I just shook my head. "I guess this is a freebie from God. Boone, NC was the where and August 2011 was the time. So we packed up and moved our camper to Boone, NC the last weekend of August. We lived in our camper until the middle of January. Now that we are settled in our new home we have begun to make more decisions toward the new church.
Keevin and I have served in lots of churches. Some of them were unhealthy and we got hurt by church people. Can you relate? We thought about our decisions to choose the churches we did. Some were callings by God as Keevin served as Youth Minister in a few. Others were by God's leading. One particular church we wanted to leave before we did but God wouldn't release us. Church choosing is a serious matter and should be lead by God as to where you worship and serve. I have shared our church history with you because of our past hurt and pain we feel there are others out there who have suffered the same. This new church is birthed with a passion to do church in a healthy way. God's healthy way.
Keevin called me a few minutes ago to tell me that he has figured out our vision statement. I was very pleased to hear what he had to say because it is already my number one goal for my personal life. You've heard of the 10 Commandments- -but since Jesus came, ministered to us, died for us, and rose from the dead (He is alive today!!!) the 10 commandments no longer apply. Why? Because when Jesus finished His work on this earth He asked Holy Dad to send us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us, to guide us, comfort us, love on us, whatever we need--He's with us. But Jesus did announce a new commandment to replace the old ones. Mark 12:30-31 (NIV): "The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." That is the vision statement for New Beginnings Family Church. This scripture in #1 on my 20 core memory verses--it is that important to be ingrained in the brain.
I like the above verse from The Message. It gives me a clearer picture of what God really wants from us. "Jesus said, The first in importance is, Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy. And here is the second: Love others as well as you love yourself. there is no other commandment that ranks with these." I even combine the two versions for personal growth. No matter what church you are a member of this should be a vision statement for your personal spiritual life. You'll be amazed at how He blesses you for loving on Him.
Have you ever been snubbed? At work? In a department store? At school? At church? It happens. It happens to us and we do it to others. It happens a lot at church. It is terrible that we can be mean Christian girls. That is the ugly truth. By facing it head on we can deal with. The truth is I felt certain ladies snubbing me in the past at different churches. I used to get hung up on the idea and go paralyzed spiritually and emotionally and that effected my behavior. I was of no use to God. By employing the 21 Day Journal Notes I have been healed of the snubbing effect. But of course that didn't stop folks from snubbing me. As it happened to me again I just walked past it mentally with a little stinging felt but it didn't devastate me as before. Then recently a gentleman from one of our past churches told Keevin during a phone conversation, that the ladies of the church had snubbed me and he gave details about it. When Keevin told me about the conversation I was overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness. As I reviewed my behavior toward those ladies I could not detect any maliciousness on my part (because sometimes we cause the behavior given to us). Feelings of worthlessness surfaced so I talked to Holy Dad about it. The subject became a passion for the week. I wanted me and the Holy Spirit to conquer this devilish thing.
What I want to teach you is how to overcome whatever problem area you have in your life. First of all talk to Holy Dad about it. Cry to Him, tell Him all the details. Then let Him speak back to you and search the scriptures for verses that apply and tell you how to correct the problem area. Trust Him to heal you and lead you to do whatever it is that He asks you to do. I find it helpful to have a dictionary handy. Knowing what your problem means can help you find the answer.
As for the snubbing, Webster says: to treat with scorn, disdain, etc. Scorn means extreme, often indignant, contempt. to refuse or reject with scorn. Disdain is to regard as beneath one's dignity, scorn. aloof. And indignant means feeling or expressing anger, especailly at unjust or mean action. Do you see how I followed the dictionary for a clear picture of what really is happening here? Indignant came up a couple of times and notice the word anger in it's definition. I googled snub on the internet and it led me to psychologytoday.com. Psychologytoday.com explains that the cause is resentment--years of imagined or real episodes of disrespect or disregard. I'm talking about the people who snub you--this is why. And if you find yourself snubbing someone--take notice and deal with your own history. The same website went on to say that "resentment is bascially a refusal to forgive, an unwillingness to let bygones be bygones and bury the hatchet. We review and rehash our painful past, even as we profess to want to let go of it." Are you getting the picture? Psychologytoday.com says that resentment is an addictive state of mind---yes addictive. So often we don't realize we are doing it but we sure feel it when it is being done to us.
Now on to what God's word says. Galatians 6:1-3 (MSG): "Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived." God wants us to deal with our mess and our church family members's mess. Help each other out. The person who snubs you probably doesn't know why he/she does it--but you do, now. Pray for that soul to have a softened heart and to be healed by God from the pain and hurt. Don't kid yourself into thinking that you don't have the same problem because you might--and you might not. Just keep a watch on yourself. Holy Dad wants you to forgive the one who offended you even though it feels tough to do it.
Now forget about the episode. Ask Holy Dad to help you erase the memory of it--or better yet, heal the memory with forgiveness. But as for the forgetting, take a look at Philippians 3:13 (NIV): "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." Forgetfulness can be a healthy God-tool. He gives us His power and strength (other God-tools) and this would be a time to call in on them.
But church family member, have patience with God as He works on the one who snubs you. John 3:20 (MSG): "Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure." People who are full of pain will do anything to avoid pain including denial and believing illusions that they are in the right. If you've ever been addicted to something you know that overcoming addictions is hard--but possible. If you have been a follower of this blog you know that I lovingly refer to Galatians 5:22-23 as the confidence elements: love, joy, peace, patence, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But look at what's listed in verses 19- 21 and the other items listed with it (how bad they are): (MSG): "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; and impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of communtiy. I could go on." How many of those jumped out at you--either you are doing them or they have been done to you? Do you really like that kind of life? Do you want to change it? Then do things God's way.
Doing things God's way produces this effect, Galatians 5:22-23 (MSG): "But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard--things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." I like those thoughts a lot better than the previous verses. And these 2 verses sound like what I hope New Beginnings Family Church represent--all done because we love our Holy God with our total being and energies and love one another.
Friend, you may have found yourself snubbed not because you are another woman but because you are of a different skin color or nationality. Or you may have a handicap or physical impairment. You may have allowed your past pain and hurt to cause obesity or anorexia, anxiety, impusivity, etc. Folks often look down on these issues and people but that's not God's way. Look at what Jesus did and is still doing today, Matthew 9:35-36 (MSG): "Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When He looked out over the crowds, His heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. 'What a huge harvest!' He said to the disciples. 'How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!'" Friend, we are the harvest hands that He is wanting. Be healed so you can help heal others. And pray for healing of those who are hurting you--because they are hurting inside.
Friend, if I have snubbed you--please forgive me and please forget that I snubbed you. And friend, if you have snubbed me--please be assured that I forgive you and I am forgetting about it. You are free to live guilt-free of this bad thing. I love you!
Jesus' healing and peace to all, Wynndy
